Many warehouses and distribution centers are guilty of poor space and cube utilization. When doing operations assessments, we often find that the company is operating with conventional counterbalanced forklift truck equipment operating in +12 foot wide aisles. Even though many of these facilities, especially those built in the last 10 to 15 years, have a clear height of 30 ft. or more, the counterbalanced trucks are limited to stacking (4) pallets high in a selective pallet rack. With this type storage configuration, 1,000 pallets can require as much as 10,500 sq. ft. of floor space.

Holste Says: Companies who are looking for additional pallet storage space should first make sure they are deploying the most efficient pallet handling equipment and storage methods. What Do You Say? Click Here to Send Us Your Comments Click Here to See Reader Feedback

While leasing additional outside storage is often looked at as a temporary quick fix, it often turns out to be a much longer term solution. Having primary inventory in an outside location increases operating overhead and complicates order fulfillment operations.

By simply replacing the forklifts with Narrow Aisle Reach Trucks that can operate in a clear aisle space of 8 feet while stacking (6) pallets high, approximately 1,870 pallet loads can be stored in the same 10,500 sq. ft. of floor space. This equates to an increase of over 80% in the number of loads stored.

NA Reach trucks (see picture) are available from all major fork truck vendors and are equipped with a pantograph type of reach mechanism that scissors the pallet load forward from the mast. In operation the truck turns to face the rack and then extends the pallet load out into the slot. Due to the truck’s compact overall length and the fact that it carries its forks in a retracted position, it requires substantially less room to turn than does a conventional counterbalanced forklift.

A more aggressive (and expensive) approach to storage space optimization involves Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) equipment. Here Swing-Reach Turret Trucks operate in aisles that are 66 inches wide. This is a storage and retrieval system configuration that is most often justified for high storage density, high velocity operations.

Final Thoughts

Companies who are looking for additional pallet storage space should first make sure they are deploying the most efficient pallet handling equipment and storage methods. Rearranging pallet rack is relatively easy and quick especially if the facility is equipped with an overhead fire sprinkler system commonly known as ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response). This is a one-time cost compared to the on-going cost of leasing additional off-site warehouse space.